Comments on: How to make Limoncello http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello Explorations in Mixology Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:39:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Randy http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-13241 Randy Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:47:10 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-13241 Erica, the short answer is, just over a quart, but that's a little vague. The liquid ingredients add up to 4 cups, but the dissolved sugar does increase the volume of the water some. If anyone has a formula for that, I would love to hear about it. The other part of the equation is the alcohol. Depending on your zest, you may end up throwing out some liquid with the spent lemon peels. You want to keep that to a minimum, but rigorous filtration will also soak up some volume in the filters you discard. This loss is usually outweighed by the volume added in dissolved sugar, so you still exceed a quart. I'll try to measure the results next time I make some, but you can calculate the close answer as soon as you mix your syrup and measure it. Erica, the short answer is, just over a quart, but that’s a little vague. The liquid ingredients add up to 4 cups, but the dissolved sugar does increase the volume of the water some. If anyone has a formula for that, I would love to hear about it. The other part of the equation is the alcohol. Depending on your zest, you may end up throwing out some liquid with the spent lemon peels. You want to keep that to a minimum, but rigorous filtration will also soak up some volume in the filters you discard. This loss is usually outweighed by the volume added in dissolved sugar, so you still exceed a quart. I’ll try to measure the results next time I make some, but you can calculate the close answer as soon as you mix your syrup and measure it.

]]> By: Erica Schopper http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-13240 Erica Schopper Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:23:35 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-13240 How much Limoncello does this recipe yield? How much Limoncello does this recipe yield?

]]> By: Randy http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-3019 Randy Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:36:39 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-3019 Hmm. Do you know what you did wrong? A lot of people perceive the flavor of alcohol as bitter, and this stuff can pack a punch. Do you think you are tasting bitterness from the white of the lemons? I don't know that there is much you can do to remove bitter flavors, but is it making your creation undrinkable? There are a few key steps I follow to avoid bitterness. The first is getting only the YELLOW part of the lemon peel. Too much white and you are just adding bitter flavors. Second, I try to filter the resulting liquid several times as outlined above. The less sediment you retain, the less likely it will slowly contribute bitter flavors over time. Finally, I suppose it helps to find the best lemons. Sometimes you take what you can get, but I imagine some lemons have better flavors than others. You certainly want to use organic if you can get them to avoid wax and pesticides. Hmm. Do you know what you did wrong? A lot of people perceive the flavor of alcohol as bitter, and this stuff can pack a punch. Do you think you are tasting bitterness from the white of the lemons? I don’t know that there is much you can do to remove bitter flavors, but is it making your creation undrinkable?

There are a few key steps I follow to avoid bitterness. The first is getting only the YELLOW part of the lemon peel. Too much white and you are just adding bitter flavors. Second, I try to filter the resulting liquid several times as outlined above. The less sediment you retain, the less likely it will slowly contribute bitter flavors over time. Finally, I suppose it helps to find the best lemons. Sometimes you take what you can get, but I imagine some lemons have better flavors than others. You certainly want to use organic if you can get them to avoid wax and pesticides.

]]> By: susan http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-3018 susan Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:47:41 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-3018 Tried my first batch of lemoncello and it is bitter. Is there any way to save this batch or do I just learn from my mistake? Tried my first batch of lemoncello and it is bitter. Is there any way to save this batch or do I just learn from my mistake?

]]> By: Randy http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-1308 Randy Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:50:12 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-1308 Mike, I am not familiar with a recipe for limoncello that uses lemon extract. I suppose it's possible, but you would have to add alcohol and then syrup. The point to remember is that limoncello is made from the peel or zest of the lemon and not the juice. I don't know what lemon extract is made from. Also, as the peel gives up its flavor to the alcohol, it forms the liquor base that combines with simple syrup to complete the liqueur. I can't imagine you would end up with good results by skipping that important flavoring step. Another way of looking at this is that we are trying to do what Italian families have done themselves for generations. Recent commercial bottles of limoncello are the shortcut. It's not about saving money or time—you do it from scratch to get better results. I'd say do yourself a favor and buy some lemons and leave the extract for some other project. Mike,
I am not familiar with a recipe for limoncello that uses lemon extract. I suppose it’s possible, but you would have to add alcohol and then syrup. The point to remember is that limoncello is made from the peel or zest of the lemon and not the juice. I don’t know what lemon extract is made from. Also, as the peel gives up its flavor to the alcohol, it forms the liquor base that combines with simple syrup to complete the liqueur. I can’t imagine you would end up with good results by skipping that important flavoring step.

Another way of looking at this is that we are trying to do what Italian families have done themselves for generations. Recent commercial bottles of limoncello are the shortcut. It’s not about saving money or time—you do it from scratch to get better results. I’d say do yourself a favor and buy some lemons and leave the extract for some other project.

]]> By: Mike http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-1307 Mike Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:35:17 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-1307 can you use Lemon Extract to make limoncelle? can you use Lemon Extract to make limoncelle?

]]> By: Randy http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-777 Randy Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:55:09 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-777 Anne, When I first started researching recipes, I read a lot about long steep times, but practical science won over, and I still think it's the right way to go. Many recipes call for vodka, which is fine, but at only 80 proof, the flavor extraction takes longer. Since you are using Everclear already, there may not be much reason to go 45 days. 95% Alcohol will pull the lemon flavor very quickly, and micro-zested citrus gives up its essence in only a few days. Longer steep time doesn't seem to add more flavor in my experience and may even start to pull bitterness form the peel. I can't come up with a good reason why sugar would do more with flavor extraction than the alcohol. If anything, syrup dilutes the alcohol and slows the process. This again makes sense from a science perspective, but also from a practical one. As you are probably aware, filtering a syrup is a lot harder. By carefully filtering beforehand, you don't have to wait for thick syrupy liquid to pass through a coffee filter, whereas an alcohol solution moves pretty quickly. In other words, filtering a syrup tries your patience and may lead to shortcuts, leaving sediment and future bottle scum, not to mention bitterness over time. I hope you give my recipe a try. Think of it as achieving the same goals, just a lot less annoying. Anne,
When I first started researching recipes, I read a lot about long steep times, but practical science won over, and I still think it’s the right way to go. Many recipes call for vodka, which is fine, but at only 80 proof, the flavor extraction takes longer. Since you are using Everclear already, there may not be much reason to go 45 days. 95% Alcohol will pull the lemon flavor very quickly, and micro-zested citrus gives up its essence in only a few days. Longer steep time doesn’t seem to add more flavor in my experience and may even start to pull bitterness form the peel.

I can’t come up with a good reason why sugar would do more with flavor extraction than the alcohol. If anything, syrup dilutes the alcohol and slows the process. This again makes sense from a science perspective, but also from a practical one. As you are probably aware, filtering a syrup is a lot harder. By carefully filtering beforehand, you don’t have to wait for thick syrupy liquid to pass through a coffee filter, whereas an alcohol solution moves pretty quickly. In other words, filtering a syrup tries your patience and may lead to shortcuts, leaving sediment and future bottle scum, not to mention bitterness over time.

I hope you give my recipe a try. Think of it as achieving the same goals, just a lot less annoying.

]]> By: Anne http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-776 Anne Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:37:11 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-776 I have been making Limoncello for over a year now, and I see that you remove the lemon rinds/pith and filter before you add the sugar solution. I do the opposite. I add the sugar water 45 days after letting the Everclear and lemon sit together. Then I leave it sit another 45 days. I then filter. The Limoncello I make is very clear and light yellow. I am curious to try it your way however. So, you only leave it sit for 3 days? I have been making Limoncello for over a year now, and I see that you remove the lemon rinds/pith and filter before you add the sugar solution. I do the opposite. I add the sugar water 45 days after letting the Everclear and lemon sit together. Then I leave it sit another 45 days. I then filter. The Limoncello I make is very clear and light yellow. I am curious to try it your way however. So, you only leave it sit for 3 days?

]]> By: Randy http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-71 Randy Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:43:05 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-71 Ben, thanks for asking. I have seen your site and like what you are doing. Yes, I highly recommend the paper towel step. Previously, I had gone straight to coffee filters and found it to be incredibly time consuming—that led me avoid careful filtration altogether. Then, and I don't recall where I read about it, I started trying the paper towel step before the coffee filter. I simply fold the paper towel into a make-shift cone and set it into my fine mesh strainer. I think it drains a little faster in the strainer than it does in a funnel. Now that I am filtering, the resulting flavor improvement is totally worth this step. It makes the coffee filtration so much faster. Ben, thanks for asking. I have seen your site and like what you are doing. Yes, I highly recommend the paper towel step. Previously, I had gone straight to coffee filters and found it to be incredibly time consuming—that led me avoid careful filtration altogether. Then, and I don’t recall where I read about it, I started trying the paper towel step before the coffee filter. I simply fold the paper towel into a make-shift cone and set it into my fine mesh strainer. I think it drains a little faster in the strainer than it does in a funnel. Now that I am filtering, the resulting flavor improvement is totally worth this step. It makes the coffee filtration so much faster.

]]> By: Ben | LimoncelloQuest.com http://summitsips.com/2009/09/how-to-make-limoncello/comment-page-1#comment-70 Ben | LimoncelloQuest.com Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:52:21 +0000 http://summitsips.com/?p=139#comment-70 Straining through a paper towel works? Never thought of that. Do you put it in a funnel or something? Straining through a paper towel works? Never thought of that. Do you put it in a funnel or something?

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